Winnipeg Cadets remember Vimy Ridge

WINNIPEG – Nearly 100 cadets banded together Saturday to commemorate the 97th anniversary of the Battle of Vimy Ridge.

The 12 to 18-year-old cadets watched a presentation on the battle and later marched in a parade around Minto Armoury.

“I was proud when I was marching,” said cadet Ross Turbovsky. “I didn’t know it was this bad, I started to get a little emotional and it feels really good to know about the past and what happened.”

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On Easter Monday, April 9, 1917, Canadian Corps captured Vimy Ridge during the First World War.

The victory was one of Canada’s proudest moments.

“I think it’s pretty important because it’s something that Canadians should remember because it was a major victory and lots of people died in it,” said cadet Chris Graham.

But the nation paid a price with 3,598 deaths out of 10,602 Canadian casualties.

Deanne Crothers, Special Envoy for Military Affairs, was also in attendance, “It’s important to keep that continuity and keep the history alive because it’s very easy to loss those things and as our veterans are passing away, we’re losing those stories.”

Smaller local events also took place Saturday in Brandon, Portage La Prairie, Cross Lake, and Flin Flon.

As another note of remembrance, on the back of Canada’s $20 bills is a picture of the Canadian National Vimy Memorial.